Elevating-truck.



No. 781,007.V f PATENTED JAN. s1, 1905.

j A. KoBELT,

^ BLBVATING TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2,1904.

Witnesses v Invtor.

b 9 f Attorneys PATENTBD JAN. 31, 1905,

Wltness 7 0 'I vnventor.

l y I Httornegs A. KOBELT.

ELEVATING TRUCK. APPLIOATION FILED JIII.Y2,1901.

' PATENTED JAN. 3l, 1905.

sHBn'rs-SHBET s.

Anw-fz ff@ elim Witness l I Ventor.

l g ,f1/f l f l UNTTED STATES Patented January 31, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE;

ELEVATlNG-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,007, dated January31, 1905. Application ned my z, 1904. seria No. 215,175.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARNOLD KoBnLT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lowry City, in the county of St. Clair and State ofMissouri, have invented a new and useful Elevating-Truck, of which thefollowing is a speci- Iication.

This invention relates to trucks for moving baggage and the like inrailroad-depots, warehouses, and other places where it is necessary tohave means for the speedy and convenient transfer of more or less heavyor bulky goods.

The invention has for its object to provide a device of this class whichshall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability,and general efliciency.

A further object is to provide a devicev in which the platform or floorof the truck may be speedily and quickly raised or lowered to anydesired position and, if required, be held or suspended in suchposition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a truck of the classdescribed which shall be provided with two supporting-wheels and with abalancing-wheel at each end thereof, the construction being such thatwhen the supporting-platform is raised or lowered the balancing-wheelsshall be adjusted therewith.

With these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as thenature of the invention becomes better understood, the same consists inthe improved construction and novel arrangement and combination ofparts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of embodiment of the invention, it being understood, however, thatno limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural detailstherein exhibited, but that the right is reserved to any changes,alterations, and modilications which come fairly within the scope of theinvention and which may be resorted to without departing from the spiritand vsacricing any of the advantages of the same.

Irl-said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an elevating-truck`constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention,

showing the platform of said truck in an elevated position. Fig. 2 is aside elevation showing the platform in a partly-lowered position. Fig. 3is a bottom plan View. Fig. A is a longitudinal sectional detail view.Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similarcharacters of reference.

My improved truck includes in its construction a vertically-movableplatform P, which comprises a frame consisting of side pieces 1 l andend pieces 2 2 and flooring 3 suitably laid upon said frame.

l designates a shaft or aXle extending transversely through and beyondthe side pieces 1 lof the platform, said shaft being provided near eachof its ends with a ratchet-wheel 5 and a spur-wheel 6, the spur-Wheels 66 being placed near the extremities of the shaft.

7 y7 designate a pair of standards or uprights, each of which isprovided, upon the rear side thereof,with a rack 8, engaging one of thespur-wheels. Upon the inner sides of the upright 7 7 are securedguide-plates 9. It

will be understood that the uprights 7, racks ratchet-wheels 5 and thespur-wheels 6 andv having hook-shaped front ends 1, which einsitions.

As will be seen from the foregoing, the plat-I form Pis supported insuch a manner as to be vertically adjustable with relation. to the sup-Collars or washers 14 are placed IOO porting and transporting wheels 13.Means are, however, to be provided for the purpose of adjusting theplatform and also for the purpose of retaining the same in adjustedposition, and these means will now be more fully described.

Pivotally mounted upon the shaft 4 between the side pieces 1 of theframe and the ratchetwheels 5 are a pair of levers 15, the free ends ofwhich extend a short distance beyond the front end of the truck-platformand are connected by means of a handle-bar 16, whereby the levers may beoperated or moved in unison. Each of the levers 15 is provided withguides 17 for the accommodation of a slidable pawl element 18, which isactuated by means of a spring 19, whereby it is automatically held inengagement with a ratchetwheel 5. The levers 15 being connected by thehandle-bar, it follows that they are operated in unison and that theratchet-wheels 5 at both ends of the shaft will be simultaneouslyengaged to rotate the shaft. The pawl and ratchet elements are soarrangedthat the shaft will be rotated on the downstroke of the freeends of the levers 15, while on the upstroke the pawls 18 will slideidly over the ratchets of thewheels 5. For the purpose of preventing thelatter from rotating in a reverse direction dogs 20, engaging the rearsides of the ratchets, are pivotally connected with the frame in rear ofthe shaft 4, said dogs being actuated by springs 21 to hold them inengagement with the ratchet-wheels 5. The levers 15 15 are provided neartheir free ends with perforations 22, affording bearings for a rod 23,the ends of which are provided with cranks 24, connected by rods orwires with the sliding spring-actuated pawls 18. The rod or rock-shaft23 is provided with a handle 24/, by means of which it may be actuatedwlien necessary to withdraw the pawls 18 from engagement with theratchet-wheels 5.

The sides of the frame a short distance in rear of the cross-bar 16,connecting the levers 15, are provided with bearings for a rockshaft25', having at one end a hand-lever 26 and at its opposite end a shortcrank 27. Connecting rods or wires 28 connect the lever 26 and the crank27 with the spring-actuated dogs 20, which engage reverse sides of theratchet-wheels 5, and by raising or pulling upon the free end of thelever 26 the wires 28 will be actuated to release the dogs or pawls 20,and if at the same time the handle .24 of the rock-shaft 23 be operatedthe sliding pawls 18 will be released from the ratchet-wheels 5, and theplatform of the truck will thus be permitted to drop to the lower endsof the uprights or standards 7.

For the purpose of regulating the rapidity of the descent of thetruck-platform I provide upon the shaft 4 a friction wheel or memberconsisting of a drum 29, having a peripheral groove 30, with a pluralityof transversely-disposed staggered lugs 30, coperating to form a roughsurface. Suitably connected with a permanent part of the truckplatformis one end of a chain 31, which after being looped around the frictionmember 29 extends in a forward direction and is connected with acrank-arm 32, extending from the rock-shaft 25'. 1t follows that whenthe rock-shaft is actuated to release the springactuated dogs 2O it willsimultaneously exert a degree of tension upon the chain 31, whereby thelatter will be tightened upon the friction member 29 and the revolutionof the shaft 4 will be retarded and regulated, so that the platform,with any load that may have been piled thereon, will be lowered at acontrollable rate of speed and will not be caused to dump suddenly, withthe danger of injury either to the goods piled thereon or to the truckitself. The inner sides of the side members of the truck are providedwith longitudinal slots 33, affording guides for transverse shaftmembers l34, provided near their ends with rotatable collars 35, havingfiat under sides to which are secured the upper ends ofdownwardly-eonverging yokes 36, provided at their lower ends with frames37, in which the end wheels or balancing-wheels 38 are journaled.Exteriorly of the collars the shafts 34 are provided with washers 39 forthe purpose of steadying the motion of the shafts 34 as the latter areadjusted in the slots The lower ends of the yoke-frames 36 areconnected, by means of rods or pivoted braces 40, with thetruck-platform.

The platform body, which has been described as being` composed of theflooring 3, is wider at the rear than at the front end, and the frontend of said platform is provided with supporting members 42, adjustablein staples or keepers 43 for the purpose of supporting wings orextensions 44, which may be connected adjustably with the narrow part ofthe flooring 3 of the platform by means of hooks 45 and eyes 46.

The rear end of the platform P is preferably inclined, as shown at 47,so that it may be conveniently loaded. The side pieces of the platformare provided near their front ends with recesses or brackets 48 for thereception of the levers 15 and 26 when not in operation.

The shaft 4 is provided with a centrallydisposed cog-wheel 50, engagingoppositelydisposed racks 49, which are connected, by means of links 51,with the shafts 34. Then the shaft 4 is rotated to raise or lower theplatform, it is obvious that the racks 49 will be operated to adjust theyokes 34, carrying` the balancing-wheels 38, thus sustaining the saidbalancing-wheels at the proper adjustment above the ground in order thatthe truck may be conveniently manipulated when loaded IOC IOS

and while the platform isl suspended or supported at any desireddistance above the ground.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawingshereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.It is obvious that the truck may be loaded either when` the platform isin a lowered or in an elevated position or when it is temporarilysupported in a position between the two extremes. The truck may betransported upon the wheels 13 and balancing-wheels 38 while theplatform is in any position, and when the point of unloading has beenreached it may be raised or lowered, as may be desired. If the platformwith its contents is to be raised, the frame, including the 'levers 15andthe cross-piece 16, is simply operated with an up-and-down motion,thereby causing the shaft 4 to be rotated and moved in an upwarddirection by the engagement of the spur-wheels 6 with theracks 8. Shouldit be desired to lower the platform, the handle 24/ of the rock-shaft 23is operated to oscillate said shaft and to cause the sliding pawlmembers 18 to be'withdrawn from engagement with the spur-wheels 5. Thelever 26 at the end of the shaft 25 is then raised, thus causing thespring actuated dogs or pawls 2O to be thrown out of engagement with theratchet-wheels 5; but at the same time the brake-chain 31 will betightened Aupon the friction-drum 29, thereby checking the rotation ofthe shaft 4 and causing the platform with its load to be loweredgradually and slowly until it safely reaches the ground or any desiredelevation,` at which it may be supported lby restoring the pawls `18 and2O to operative engagement with the ratchetwheels. It follows as amatterof course that when the platform is raised or lowered the link-rods 40,connecting the body of the platform with the balancing wheels carryingyokes 36, will adjust said yokes so that the balancing-wheels shall besupported at the proper elevation from the ground with regard to theplatform of the truck. The movement of these members is made absolutelysure and certain by the rack-bars 49 engaging the upper and lower sidesof the cog-wheel 50 and having their ends connected, by means of rods51, with the shafts 34.

As will be seen from the foregoing description, my improvedelevating-truck is simply constructed, durable. easily operated, andwellv truck-platform movable with relation to said uprights, andhousings secured to said platform and engaging and guiding the uprights,the rack-bars and the guide-bars.

2. In an elevating-truck, apair of uprights having axles andtransporting-,wheels journaled thereon, rack-bars and guide-bars securedto said uprights, a platform, housings connected with said platform andembracing the uprights, the rack-bars and the guide-bars,

a shaft journaled transversely in the platform, spur-wheels upon saidshaft engaging the rackbars upon the uprights, and means for rotatingthe shaft and for retaining it at any desired point of adjustment.

3. In a truck,'a vertically-adjustable platform, rotary supporting'means for the same, balancing-wheels at the ends of the truckplatform,and means for adjusting said balancing-wheels when the platform israised or lowered.

4. In an elevating-truck, a vertically-adjustable platform, shaftslongitudinally slidable in slots in the side pieces of said platform,oppositely-movable racks, connecting means between said racks andlongitudinallyslidable shafts, means for simultaneously acy tuating saidracks when the platform is raised or lowered, yokes suspended from theshafts and carrying balancing-wheels, and link connections between saidyokes and the platform.

5. In an elevating-truck, a pair of standards having rotary supportingmeans and provided with rack-bars and guiding-bars, averticallyadjustable platform, a shaft journaled in said platform andhaving housings engaging the standards, the rack-bars and theguide-bars, spur-wheels upon theshaft and engaging the rack-bars,ratchet-wheels upon said shaft, le-

vers journaled upon said shaft and having spring-actuated pawls engagingthe ratchetwheels, a rod connecting the free ends of said levers, arock-shaft journaled in said levers adjacent to said rod and havingcranks formed thereon, and connecting means between said cranks and thespring-actuated pawls.

6. In an elevating-truck, wheel-supported uprights having racks andguide-bars, a vertically-adjustable platform, a transverse shaft in thelatter yhaving spur-wheels engaging the racks of the uprights,ratchet-wheels upon said shaft, levers connected pivotally with thelatter and having spring-actuated pawls engaging the ratchet-wheels andmeans for releasing said pawls, spring-actuated dogs engaging thereverse sides of said ratchet-wheels, and means for releasing saidspring-actuated dogs and for simultaneously checking the-rotation of theshaft under the impulse of the weight of the load.

7. In an elevating-truck, wheel-supported standards having rack-bars andguide-bars, a platform having housings engaging said stand- IOO IO uponthe platform and the other end of Said ehain secured to an arm extendingfrom a rock-shaft at the front end ol the platform.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto afixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ARNOLD KOBELI.

fitnessesz A. L. fENENSCHWANDER, E. A. NVIDMAN.

